Brussels Caesar Salad with Pine Nuts
Brussels Caesar Salad with Pine Nuts
This Brussels Sprout Caesar Salad is SO GOOD. Obviously, you have to be a brussels sprout fan to agree with me, but even if you’re not… you may just like this one. It’s super flavourful and full of yummy add-ins like toasted pine nuts, crispy panko crumbs and of course lots of parmesan cheese. If you are getting bored of the same of old salad, I highly recommend you give this recipe a try! It’s easy to make, but takes a little extra time to prep the brussels. I trim and wash them and then slice them lengthwise before roasting them in the oven. The rest of the ingredients are simple to prepare:
Brussels sprouts - The star of the show! You can buy them all year round but they are in season and more readily available from November-January here in BC.
Mayonnaise - The dressing for this salad is mayonnaise based. Make sure you use a good quality mayonnaise that has REAL ingredients. Stay away from wannabes like Miracle Whip etc. I like to use Avocado Oil Mayo since it has no trans fats; only the good stuff!
Lemon juice - The lemon juice is a super important ingredient in this recipe as it adds a much needed element of acid. Without it, the flavour would fall flat. I used fresh lemons, but store-bought lemon juice works fine as well.
Anchovy paste - Anchovies are a key ingredient in most caesar salad dressings. They add a certain bit of flavour that makes up the classic flavour of caesar salad. You can buy this in the seafood section at most grocery stores.
Garlic - I loooove garlic, especially when it comes to caesar salad dressing. I HIGHLY recommend using fresh garlic as it has that zing that marinated minced garlic doesn't have. Just like anything else, the flavour will be more potent and that’s what we want! Never cheap out on flavour.
Parmesan cheese - Parmesan cheese is another key ingredient when it comes to caesar salads. I like to add it into the dressing as well as on the actual salad. You can never have too much cheese, right? You can also substitute for Romano or Asiago cheese.
Pine Nuts - The pine nuts add a nice element to the salad. I know they are expensive, but you don’t need much for this salad, just about 1/4 cup. See if you can find them in the bulk section at the grocery store rather than buying a large bag.
Panko crumbs - I wanted to add a bit of a crunch to this salad, hence the panko crumbs. I added some olive oil and the crumbs to a pan and toasted them on medium-high heat for about 3-5 minutes until they were golden brown, stirring frequently. It honestly makes the salad. If you’re gluten-free, you can omit, but you’re missing out!
Parsley - Fresh parsley seems to go well with Italian dishes, so I added a little to the salad for flavour and colour. It finishes off the salad really nicely. Again, it’s worth it (flavour wise) to get fresh parsley.
This is definitely a new favourite of mine and I will be rotating it onto our menu in the winter months for sure! It would be a great side dish to make when you’re hosting too because it has simple ingredients but looks fancy. It also keeps for WAY longer in the fridge if there are leftovers. It’s not like a salad made with lettuce where, if there are leftovers, you basically have to throw it out or it will turn into a soggy mess. The brussels hold up!
Brussels Caesar Salad with Pine Nuts
Brussels Caesar Salad with Pine Nuts
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1/2 tsp anchovy paste
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1 tsp creamy dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
- 900g brussels sprouts
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped, plus more for topping
- 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
- 1/2 cup panko crumbs
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Make the dressing: add all of the dressing ingredients to a small bowl and whisk until combined. Set aside.
- Trim the ends of the brussels sprouts and slice them lengthwise.
- Preheat the oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Spread the sliced brussels sprouts over the prepared pan and drizzle generously with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes or until slightly charred.
- Let the brussels cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
- While the brussels are cooling, add 3 tbsp of olive oil to a pan along with the panko crumbs and stir to coat. Toast them on medium-high heat until golden brown. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the roasted brussels sprouts, parsley and dressing and toss to combine.
- Divide the salad into two bowls and top with toasted pine nuts, panko crumbs, parmesan cheese and more fresh parsley. Enjoy!